Effects of electric acupuncture on the expression of GAP-43 in DRG of sciatic nerve injury rats

Objective: To explore the biological mechanisms of electric acupuncture on the treatment of sciatic nerve injury through the research on changes of GAP-43 expression in DRG of sciatic nerve injury rats.Methods: After making the model of sciatic nerve clamping damage,the variation of rats' behavior were observed through solar-thermal pain threshold resistance.Changes of GAP-43 expression in DRG were observed through immunohistochemical staining,and then statistical analyzed the diferences between the groups.Results: Seven days after making the model,compared with normal group,the variation of rats' behavior showed that the sensory function in model group was decreased obviously(P0.01).After ten and twenty times of electric acupuncture therapy,both solar-thermal pain threshold resistance and pain sensitivity scores of the therapy group were obviously lower than that of model group(P0.05,P0.01),and the sensory function was recovered signiicantly.After seven days of sciatic nerve injured,GAP-43 expression of model group was increased(P0.05).After ten and twenty times of electric acupuncture therapy,expression of GAP-43 in DRG from electric acupuncture therapy group signiicantly increased,staining extent and scope signiicantly better than model group(P0.01) and model control group(P0.05).Conclusion: Electric acupuncture could promote the expression of GAP-43 in DRG,the development and the regeneration of injured nerves,in the end enhance the sensory function of the sciatic nerve injury rats.